


In the Heart of the Empire

by MrRhapsodist



Series: Sweet Domestic Star Wars Saga [2]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Bed-Wetting, Diapers, Dreams and Nightmares, F/F, Female Bonding, Female Friendship, Gen, Girls' Night Out, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:21:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26758666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrRhapsodist/pseuds/MrRhapsodist
Summary: With the Republic routed on Corellia and Darth Baras defeated, Sith Lord Ava Corvan decides that she has time to settle her affairs. With the men on her ship out on a scouting mission, Vette insists they have a girls’ night out with Jaesa included. But something’s been troubling Jaesa, and her Sith master won’t rest until she knows what’s going on.
Relationships: Female Sith Warrior & Jaesa Willsaam, Female Sith Warrior & Vette
Series: Sweet Domestic Star Wars Saga [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1942525
Comments: 6
Kudos: 16





	1. The Scouting Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava Corvan receives an assignment from the Dark Council. Vette makes plans for a fun-filled weekend.

Lord Ava Corvan stood—she did not kneel, not anymore—before the flickering hologram of Darth Marr. His masked visage reminded her briefly of the late Darth Baras, but unlike her former Master and foe, Marr’s tone was always in control. He wasn’t some volcano about to erupt like Baras always sounded, especially when things refused to go his way. He stood tall, the head of the Dark Council, as massive a presence as the spiked pads on his shoulders.

“The Empire has need of your services, my Lord Wrath,” Marr intoned. He folded his arms across his armored chest. “With the Emperor’s demise in the Dark Temple, word cannot spread of what has transpired. Already, rogue Sith factions have appeared on Yavin 4 and Ilum. We must judge their strength and quash each uprising while the Republic assaults us in every sector of the galaxy. I leave such testing of our adversaries to you.”

“I am honored, my lord.” Ava bowed her head. She knew she didn’t have the markings of a Sith Pureblood, but her orange skin, black hair and tattoos, and Zabrak horns made her monstrous enough to fill Lord Scourge’s boots.

If she ever caught up to him, she’d have to thank him for giving her this opening.

Before dueling and killing him, of course.

Marr clasped his hands behind his back, his legs spread wide in a dominant stance. “Assemble your team and begin your investigations at once. Report back to me once you have solid intel. I will confer with my new lieutenant about what course the Council will take.”

“Indeed.” Ava recalled the face of the Council’s newest member when she struck down Baras in the Council chambers. A regal young woman with a red optic implant and black armored robes, who watched the duel with open interest. She smiled up at Marr and added, “Do give my regards to Darth Imperius, my lord.”

“So I shall.” Marr sawed a hand through the air. “End transmission.”

The hologram faded, leaving Ava standing alone in her shadow-filled quarters on her ship, the _Warbeast._ She shrugged off her robes and donned a simple black tunic. It took several minutes of careful reflection, breathing in and out slowly, before she could rediscover the light flickering deep inside herself, hidden away from the prying eyes of Marr and the other Sith Lords.

On Hutta, she’d told Jaesa it wasn’t easy to hide her true nature. Moments where she could be completely unmasked were increasingly rare, especially when she’d so recently savored the kill of a bitter, raging Darth Baras in full view of his peers on Korriban.

But when Ava heard the quiet chatter coming from the ship’s galley, she found she couldn’t hold back a smile for much longer.

* * *

It wasn’t a scene she’d ever expected to see. Vette and Malavai Quinn, sitting together at a table, sharing cups of hot caf like they were actually friends. If it weren’t for years of training and trauma, Ava would’ve let out a squeal and hugged them both. Instead, she allowed herself a quiet smile and summoned a fresh cup for herself from the nearby counter.

“My lord.” Quinn shot up from his chair, ever the obedient little soldier. He bowed at the waist and motioned toward the slouching, grinning Vette. “Your timing is impeccable. We were only now discussing the morale of our team in the wake of your recent victory.”

Vette let out a giggle. “Yeah, what Captain Crackerjack here is trying to say is that Jaesa’s a bit down in the dumps lately.”

Quinn’s brow lifted. “Excuse me, Captain _what?_ ”

The Twi’lek winked back. “Give it a rest, Cap’n.”

“Well, far be it from me to interrupt your precious discussion time.” Ava chuckled and took a sip from the caf she’d been holding. Savored the black, bitter brew running across her lips. “But since you’re both here, I thought it’d be prudent to inform you of a new assignment.”

She hesitated. She almost told Vette to go find Jaesa, and Quinn to get Pierce and Broonmark, but in her mind’s eye, she flashed onto Jaesa’s present circumstances. The poor girl sat alone in her quarters, head down, arms wrapped around her knees, staring at nothing. And whatever else the Empire or the Council demanded of Ava, she would not—could not—send a brokenhearted apprentice into battle without jeopardizing the whole mission. And looking at Vette’s interested expression, Ava sensed she wouldn’t handle her student’s misery alone either.

“We have a potential uprising in the Yavin system,” she said, facing Quinn. “Captain, I’d like you to go with Pierce and Broonmark on a reconnaissance assignment. Lieutenant Telos Drellik, formerly of the Reclamation Service, will be your contact in the region.”

Quinn normally had an excellent sabacc face, but in this moment, it flickered with disgust. “I see, my lord.” He slid a glance over to the Twi’lek still drinking caf at the table. “And the rest of your crew will be...?”

“Attending to matters closer to home,” Ava replied. She offered him a fond smile, the sort he only ever got to see in the cockpit—or in her quarters, answering a late-night summons. As soon as Quinn relaxed, she stepped forward and clapsed his arm. “I have complete faith in your ability to lead Pierce and Broonmark. And, if nothing else, they’ll have all the means of securing your exit should your assignment not remain covert for long.”

“Very good, my lord.” Quinn allowed himself a tiny smile—a long way from the frosty, awkward fellow she met on Balmorra. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll begin preparations immediately.”

He bowed, and before Vette could make another snarky comment, he exited the galley. Ava shook her head and took an empty chair at the table. She sipped on her caf and rubbed at her temples.

“Oh, Vette,” she said through a sigh. “What _are_ we going to do about Jaesa? All that work to recruit her, and she still doesn’t fit in, does she?”

“Hey, it’s not her fault.” Vette set down her mug. “She’s a real sweetheart, you know? Kinda hard to be that when everybody else is a backstabbing, power-hungry psycho?”

“Be nice.” Ava smiled over the rim of her mug. “Some of those backstabbing psychopaths are my newest colleagues.”

“Well, you asked...”

“I did.” Ava’s eyes flickered down to the tabletop. “There will be time before we have to go to Ilum. The Empire’s entrenched on that planet pretty well these days.” Meeting Vette’s gaze, an idea came up, and she smiled. “Perhaps we ought to use that time for Jaesa’s sake. Get her outdoors. Show her a good time.”

“Hold the holocomm.” Vette stared, puzzlement written across her face. “Did you just suggest a girls’ night out? On Dromund _Kaas_ of all places?”

“Well, it was either that or Nar Shaddaa.”

“Yeah, much as I like it there, I wouldn’t want to see Jaesa get tangled up with any Hutts.” Vette made a face, but it soon gave way to a shining grin and sparkling gaze. “I can’t believe we’re doing this! C’mon, let’s go tell her the good news!”

Ava laughed. “You go on ahead. I’ll be right there.”

“You’d better be!” Vette dashed out of the galley, footsteps receding down the main corridor of the Sith ship. Ava watched her go and let out a fond chuckle. She took another sip of her caf and sighed.

If there were any justice in the universe, she could do it both. Be the Empire’s Wrath and keep this odd little crew together. Try as she might to sit and drink caf alone, Ava could hear the slow drumbeat of war across the galaxy, on the smoking boulevards of Corellia and the scorched fields of Voss. This fragile peace wouldn’t last forever.

She’d have to take as much of it as she could, for however long it would be there.

* * *

“Nothing’s wrong, my lord. I promise...”

Hearing Jaesa’s hollow voice, and seeing the way her long brown hair shielde her face, made Ava think otherwise. She’d found it a touch concerning the way the young woman had to rush to the refresher as soon as Vette announced their plans for the evening. Ava had arrived only a few moments later, finding the Twi’lek looking bemused and the Human wiping off her face and trying to force a smile.

Vette sat on the bed next to Jaesa, unwilling to leave her side or take no for an answer. She nudged the other girl’s shoulder. “C’mon, c’mon! You’ve gotta see this one spot in the Nexus Room! And the Sadow Bistro has these sweet rolls that you’ll just _love,_ you know?”

“That sounds nice, Vette.” Jaesa shrugged. “I mean, I know we have a duty to the people on Ilum, but—”

“But what?” Ava knelt down in front of Jaesa. She took by the hand and stared. “Tell me.”

In a heartbeat, they were back on Hutta, meeting face-to-face for the first time, a terrifying Sith apprentice and a kindhearted Jedi Padawan. But there was no stark-raving Nomen Karr to force the conversation this time. As she looked into the girl’s brown eyes, Ava caught a glimpse of the maelstrom building inside her pupil. Love, fear, bitterness, envy, guilt, and a few other feelings that bubbled deeper beneath the surface, even with all the training they’d done together.

“I just...” Jaesa’s voice cracked. She looked away from her Master, shaking a little as she inhaled. “I trust you, my lord. And you, too, Vette. I don’t exactly know where I stand here. With you as the Wrath, and all this I’ve given up to walk the path of the light with you, I just...”

“I understand.” Ava let a smile come to her lips and knelt her head against Jaesa’s arm. She tried not to let her horns poke the poor thing. “You enjoy being with us on this ship. The rest of the Empire doesn’t feel like home yet, does it?”

Jaesa shook her head. “Not really, no.”

“Well, then.” Ava met Vette’s eyes, and a devious sparkle lit up both their faces. “We’ll have to do something about that, won’t we?”


	2. A Night in Kaas City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava, Vette, and Jaesa enjoy a long-overdue girls' night out. It ends in dancing, drinks, giggles, and an unexpected turn.

In between airspeeders racing overhead, Imperial soldiers barking orders at pedestrians, and yet another light drizzle, the night wasn’t starting off the way Ava had hoped. She glanced at Jaesa, who fidgeted in her seat while the taxi came in for a landing.

But the irrepressible Vette was top of things. She had one arm looped around Jaesa’s waist, dragging her out of the taxi the moment it touched down on the deck. Ava followed at a polite distance, her cowl raised to avoid drawing attention. Let the Imperials marvel at a Twi’lek and a Human racing for the nearest cantina. But it wouldn’t do to let anyone see the Emperor’s Wrath herself stroll in for a drink. Not when their supreme overlord was supposed to be alive and well under her vigilance.

The moment they popped into the Nexus Room, the evening was back in order. Holos of dancing Twi’leks and Rodians filled the air, mingling with the sight of Sith nobles and Human elites, all drinking and dining to their heart’s contents. Silver service droids came up and offered trays of spice poppers and fruit-filled cocktails, all of which Ava waved off with a deep-throated growl.

As they rode the turbolift to their private section of the club, Ava noticed her apprentice fidget and whisper something in Vette’s ear. Vette glanced back, shrugged, and waved in a direction down the hall. Jaesa nodded in gratitude before dashing off and around the corner. Toward the nearest refresher, Ava noted.

She shared a look with Vette. “A case of nerves, I suspect?”

“Something like that?” Vette flicked one of her lekku over her shoulder. “I dunno. Guess you wouldn’t be used to all this coming from a stuffy Jedi temple.”

“Oh, I can only imagine.” Ava laughed. “Probably sitting serenly over cups of herbal tea and dry cakes, with no one speaking above a polite whisper.”

“Okay, that sounds _horrible!_ ” Shaking her head, Vette has to laugh as well. “At least you can get a drink on this planet, you know?”

“Although,” Ava added with a sly smile, “I wouldn’t say no to a cup of tea.”

“You’re spoiling my amazing night out, Miss Dark Lord.”

“Fine, fine. We’ll start with some Corellian brandy.”

“Now you’re talking!”

* * *

By the time Jaesa returned from the refresher, Ava and Vette had settled into a table, where a repurposed astromech droid came up with a tray secured to its cranial dome. It delivered drinks and meat-filled wraps to start. Vette ate and drank like there was no tomorrow. Ava kept her pace moderate, making sure she could keep one eye on Jaesa, who had been sitting quietly and nibbling on the food being sent her way.

But the moment the second round of drinks came out, Jaesa’s anxiety failed to go down. She had barely touched her first cocktail, and she only managed a second one with some light ribbing from Vette. Ava watched as the young woman’s cheeks flushed red after that drink.

Poor thing was a lightweight. Who knew?

“I mean, no, why would I have ever done this before?” Jaesa giggled, only to hide her face in embarrassment. “Stars, I’m sorry. I mean, I... I wouldn’t drink. I know a few dances, sure, but I never went to parties. I was a h—” She paused for a short hiccup and giggled. “A handmaiden! You know what _we_ do all night? Stand in the corner and look p-pretty! That’s it...!”

Vette broke off into peals of laughter, even as she put a soft hand on Jaesa’s shoulder. “Okay! We gotta get you on the dance floor!”

“No, no, I-I couldn’t...”

“Yes! Jaesa, when you are gonna get over that fear if not now?”

“Sometime later, I imagine?”

“She’s got a point,” Ava remarked, watching the two with her arms crossed behind her head.

“C’mon!” Vette yanked Jaesa out of their seats by the wrist, dragging her with surprising strength toward the flashing red and violet lights over the dance floor, where a kloo horn quartet was giving it their all.

Vette immediately began circling around Jaesa with flirty hip swaying and rolling her shoulders. Jaesa stood stock still at first, as if paralyzed by fear. Ava could almost taste it in the air, but she made no move to rush to her defense. She watched the girl’s eyes fall shut, her head bobbing to the melody. That slow head bob turned into a full-body sway, as she tried to mimic Vette’s moves, even though her whole approach was closer to the dainty steps of an Alderaanian waltz. Ava had to give the girl points for trying.

She grinned when Jaesa caught her eye from across the VIP room.

After a moment, Ava was there beside the pair, swaying from side to side and towering over them both. She knew she looked ridiculous, but having cleared away most of the room for themselves, she could keep the rumors down to a minimum.

In any case, the laugh that came out of Jaesa’s mouth was worth the price of admission.

* * *

Hours later, after an hour’s worth of dancing and a few more drinks, the trio more or less stumbled their way back to the _Warbeast’_ s docking bay. Kaas City twinkled behind them, obscured by kilometers of thick, muggy jungle. Ava wished the weather could have eased off on the jungle heat for a night, if only to make walking up the boarding ramp with both girls under her arms a little easier.

She had to laugh when she saw the startled jolt from 2V-R8, who had been polishing one of the bulkheads with some industrial-strength cleaner. Ava pointed a pair of fingers at the droid before dragging her young friends off to her private quarters.

Kissing Vette on the forehead, Ava let the Twi’lek slip free of her grasp and tumble onto the queen-sized bed. Jaesa followed soon after, ducking her head away from the kiss, and rolling up beside Vette with peals of laughter. Her head nuzzled up against Vette’s shoulder, and the Twi’lek ruffled her hair in response.

Ava stood over them for a few seconds later. She slowly collapsed backward onto a couch across the room, tilting her head back as Vette caressed the side of Jaesa’s face and whispered sweet-nothings in her ear.

“You two,” said Ava, “have my absolute...” She paused, fighting back the slur in her voice. “Abso... abso _lute_ permission to... to stay here tonight...”

“Sounds good to me!” Vette lifted her head, with one of her blue lekku flopping over her forehead. “’Cause we sure aren’t moving from this spot!”

“Are you so certain?”

“Well, yeah!” Vette giggled and nudged Jaesa. The latter didn’t twitch a muscle. “See?”

Ava smiled fondly. “Indeed I do...”

She closed her eyes and listened to the girl snoring contently on the Twi’lek’s shoulder.

After a while, she shut her eyes and did the same.

* * *

At midnight, Ava’s eyes snapped open.

She sat up on the couch. Shaking away the remnants of a dream—wandering through the marshes of Quesh, chasing after a Sith Pureblood in a hooded cloak, her lightsaber drawn—Ava stared at the dark bedroom. Her danger sense had been shrieking a second ago. Now it was quiet, snuffed out like a candle.

Her eyes darted to the bed. Vette had rolled herself onto her side, with Jaesa facing aside. While the Twi’lek snored with one arm draped over her face, Jaesa wasn’t so serene. She kept turning in her sleep, whimpering.

Ava took a cautious sniff.

The odor she found lingering in the air made her heart break.

 _Oh,_ she thought, _that poor thing..._

Getting up, she wandered over to the other side of the bed. Ignoring the Ottegan silk sheets that were now damp, she pulled off the covers and nudged Jaesa’s shoulders.

The girl’s eyes flashed open, and her face lost all its color. Sweat trickled across her brow.

“M-my lord?” Jaesa’s voice came out small and breathless. “What... what is it...?”

“I was about to ask you the same thing.” Ava sat on the bed and motioned at the sheets. “Jaesa.”

“Oh, no. No, no, no, no...” Jaesa shook her head.

She bolted upright, trying to yank the clammy silks off her legs, but that only made the smell worse. Ava wrinkled her nose, but she could manage. She’d faced worse on Balmorra and in the depths of Korriban’s tombs. A bit of stale urine in a room that Twovee kept scented with native Zabrak floral sprays was nothing by comparison.

Ava caught the girl’s hands before she could go into a further frenzy. She pressed Jaesa’s head against her breast, feeling a sob into her tunic, and held her there.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Jaesa whimpered.

“Shh.” With one arm around her shoulders, Ava’s other hand stroked at the girl’s hair. “It’s going to be all right, my dear. You have my word.”

“M-my lord, don’t... you’re just saying that...”

“I’m not.” Ava pulled back, casting a yellow-eyed gaze on her student. “See me as you do with so many others. See the truth for yourself.”

Jaesa hesitated. But under Ava’s stern look, she bowed her head. A light aura shone around her, visible to the Sith Lord through the Force, and she did not fear that light’s warming touch to her own dark heart.

“I see...” Blinking back tears, Jaesa shook her head. “I see love. Concern. And... compassion.”

“Of course you do.” Ava bent down to kiss the top of the girl’s head. “Behind the war and fury, that is who I am. And that is what you mean to me. Just as Vette does, little one.”

Jaesa wept and hugged Ava tighter. They hadn’t held each other like this since Hutta, when a fateful encounter had left Nomen Karr a raving lunatic and Jaesa choosing her destiny. She’d been skittish and guarded before boarding the _Warbeast._ Facing Quinn’s stern, aristocratic expression had been difficult. Meeting the ever-cheerful Vette had been a blessing, and Ava had been glad to see the two bond so quickly.

Ava kissed Jaesa’s cheeks, removing the tears as fast they came. “There, there. I’m not mad. You had an accident. It happens. Now we simply need to deal with it.”

“Huh?” They looked across the bed, noticing a bleary-eyed Vette stirring. She flipped over, rubbing at her forehead as she groaned against a dry throat and pounding headache. “Mmm. What’s, uh... what’s going on?”

“Oh, nothing much.” Ava pressed Jaesa’s wet face into her bosom again. “But we might have something of a situation on our hands.”


	3. An Unfortunate Solution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaesa's accident in bed leads Vette to a surprising discovery in the medbay. Ava takes the initiative.

In the main hold of her starship, Lord Ava Corvan took charge of the late-night crisis.

First things first—she directed 2V-R8 to remove and launder her bedsheets, and to replace them immediately. The silver factotum droid shuffled off right away, carrying an armful of sheets that she prayed he didn’t have the equipment to smell. At least, not in the way organic beings could.

Next, she sent Jaesa into the refresher for a much-needed shower. It wasn’t in keeping with Sith doctrine, but she couldn’t resist. Before the young girl could slip out of her grasp, Ava leaned her head down and planted a kiss on top of Jaesa’s hair. The shorter woman stammered out a “Thank you” before disappearing into the shower and locking the door behind her. Through the Force, she radiated joy and terror.

Ava loved keeping ladies like her on their toes. It made for some amusing expressions.

And as for Vette, the Sith Lord sent her into the medbay to find something appropriate. Some medication, or a kind of protective sheet. She wasn’t sure, and with Twovee otherwise engaged, she couldn’t ask him for a full ship’s inventory. In any case, she suspected Vette had more than enough experience rummaging through strange cabinets to find something useful.

Twovee was the first to arrive. His servomotors whirred as he came back with fresh linens and applied them to his master’s bed. He received a nod of thanks from Ava, as well as her implicit permission to power down for the evening.

Vette came in a moment later. The Twi’lek clutched a package awkwardly under one arm, wearing the guiltiest face Ava had ever seen. And on  _ her, _ of all people.

“Sooo...” The Twi’lek chuckled. “I, uh, did some digging around. And I, um, found this?”

She set down the package on the freshly remade bed. Ava scanned it with a quizzical frown.

When she touched the package, it crinkled.

“Oh,” she said. “Curious that we’d have  _ these _ on board, isn’t it?”

“I was wondering about that, too.” Vette shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe they were going to be used for something else?”

Ava’s eyes flashed up. “Such as?”

“I don’t know! Staunch a bleeding wound or... or something! I’m not a medic!”

“Vette, my dear.” Ava favored the Twi’lek with a tender smile. “A diaper only has one purpose.”

Blushing hard, Vette had to turn away. “Yeah, well, I was the youngest in my family, so I don’t know how to handle these kind of things.”

“Nor do I,” Ava replied, staring down at the package, “but I imagine I’ll learn.”

Right on cue, the refresher door opened, and Jaesa emerged. Her hair was damp and fell along one side of her head. She’d borrowed one of the ship’s female-use bathrobes. Of course, the zeyd-cloth robes had been designed for someone like Ava’s stature, so the sleeves ran long over the girl’s hands and the robe’s hemline pooled around her feet. She shuffled into the bedroom, looking utterly adorable.

Not that Ava would ever say it to her face.

Jaesa took one look at what was sitting on the bed and went pale. Her bottom lip trembled, and she shot Ava a worried glance. “M-my lord? What’s going on...?”

“Jaesa.” Ava did her best to channel her care and concern into her voice, the way she had on Hutta and Taris. “I hope we didn’t frighten you. We wanted to make sure you were comfortable. And, well, Vette found something we  _ thought _ might work.” She smiled. “If you’d allow it?”

“I...” The young woman swallowed. She pushed a lock of hair behind one ear. “I don’t know...”

“It’ll be fine, I promise.” Ava exchanged a look with Vette. “This’ll be our little secret, won’t it?”

“We take it to our graves, Jaesa.” Vette clasped her hands above her head. “Count on it!”

“That’s, um, nice of you.” Looking back at her Master, Jaesa grimaced. “If you, um, think it’s for the best, then I...” She swallowed. “I mean, I trust you, my lord—”

“Ava.”

“S-sorry?”

The Zabrak stood. In one swift motion, she crossed the room and put her hands on Jaesa’s slender shoulders. Looking her in the eye, smiling past all her horns and tattoos, Ava leaned in and whispered, “When we’re alone like this, you can call me Ava. No need to be so formal.”

“R-right.” Jaesa shivered in her grasp. “Of course... Ava...”

Vette coughed into her hand. “Um, do I need to leave you two alone if what I think is about to happen?”

“Shut up, Vette,” Ava replied sweetly. “You’re free to leave whenever you like.”

Meanwhile, Jaesa had closed her eyes. She knelt her head down, as if she were probing another person’s true nature with her power. But instead of the Force’s strength surging around Ava, what she felt and saw were tears slipping out of Jaesa’s shut eyes.

“I’m sorry,” said the girl in a wet, shaky voice. “I... I hate that you have to do all this for me.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Ava pursed her lips together. “We’re here for you, Jaesa.”

“But I—”

“Please.” Ava lifted her chin with a single finger. She waited until Jaesa opened her red-rimmed eyes and fresh tears spilled across her cheeks. “Do it for me?”

Jaesa didn’t answer at first. But, in the Force, Ava could feel her resistance falling away, piece by piece. Within a few seconds, she had lowered herself onto the bed, curling her knees up to her chest as far as the bathrobe would allow.

“Have you ever done this before?” Jaesa asked.

“Me?” Ava let out a short laugh. “No, never. But I’m a quick learner, if it helps.”

“I can, um...” Jaesa’s cheeks went red, but still she smiled. “I can walk you through it. When I was, um, Lady Gesselle’s handmaiden, sometimes I would babysit some of her younger cousins. And a few of them were still in diapers, so you can imagine what I had to handle...”

“I see.” Ava shot a teasing glance toward Vette. “Good to know we have an expert on board.”

“Well, aren’t you two freaking cute?” Vette shook her head and walked off. “I’m going to get some more sleep. This hangover’s barely a few hours old, and already I hate it.”

“Sleep well,” Ava shot back, as the door slid shut behind the Twi’lek.

Turning back, she saw a more relaxed Jaesa lying down on top of the bed. The young Human had brushed the hair away from her face. Her fingers fiddled with the knot of her robe’s belt around her waist, not quite pulling it apart.

Ava reached down. Gently, she pried open the front of Jaesa’s robe.

“I’ll be fast, I promise,” she said, pulling out a diaper from the nearby package.

“Of course, my lor—” Jaesa flinched. “Um, I mean... uh, Ava...”

“Relax. Now, tell me how to get started.”

“Well, you’ve got it backwards, for one thing.” Jaesa giggled, and Ava’s smile widened. “So, yeah, flip it around and slide it underneath like this...”

All things considered, putting on a diaper was a lot simpler than Ava had imagined. Of course, she wasn’t fighting some upset infant, but a fully consenting adult. Within minutes, she had the plastic garment pulled into place and taped around Jaesa’s hips. The Sith Lord took a moment to examine her handiwork, adjusting the padding around each leg cuff. The whole time, Jaesa had stared up at the ceiling of her Master’s private chambers, as if trying to ignore what her reality had become.

With the diaper in place, Ava patted the front. “There you are, apprentice.” She tilted her head to the side, grinning. “Obviously, this can’t become known about me. It’d be horrible for my reputation as the most fearsome warrior in the Empire.”

“And how would this make  _ me _ look any better?” Jaesa made a face. “The Sith apprentice who can’t keep her pants dry? I’d be the laughingstock of the whole galaxy!”

“Well, just pray it never does get out.” Ava’s eyes fell half-shut. A content smile played across her lips. “I’ve have to hide a  _ lot _ of bodies to ensure the truth stays hidden again.”

Jaesa stared, her smile halfway between fond and confused. “Please say you’re kidding.”

“When it comes to you, my dear?” Ava sighed and shook her head. “I’d never.”

With a gesture, she used the Force to turn off the lights. Ava nudged Jaesa over, pulling the sheets up around her. As soon as the girl was tucked in, Ava stroked a finger along the girl’s hair and coiled a strand around the tip. She let go, wished her a good night, and turned back for a long vigil on the couch.

A small hand stopped her, clutching at the hem of Ava’s tunic.

Turning back, Ava saw a pair of small brown eyes staring up through the shadows.

“Um, Ava?” Her voice came out small and shaky. “Could you please stay? With me, I mean?”

Ava nodded. “Of course.”

She slipped off her tunic, revealing the thin white underclothes she wore. Removing her boots and belts, she let them fall into a heap on the deck at her feet.

As she climbed into bed next to Jaesa, pressing her body against her slim frame, Ava felt a sudden tingle along her skin. She realized that her shields were still up—an unfortunate side effect from years of Sith training and her father’s fist on Serenno. Ava had to close her eyes and meditate briefly, lulling herself into a true state of security. Letting down her shields, keeping her focus on the present moment without a build-up of adrenaline in case a threat was lurking. It ran counter to everything she’d harnessed in her studies on Korriban.

But as soon as the shields came down, Ava relaxed against Jaesa. She wrapped her arms around her, holding her close from behind. It didn’t bother her one bit, the proximity to her student, or the way her diaper rustled beneath the sheets.

“M-Master?” Jaesa hesitated. “Ava. I... I’m sorry...”

“Don’t be.” Ava leaned her chin onto the girl’s shoulder, speaking right into her ear. “Try to rest, all right? You’ll be fine.”

“I’m not so sure about that...” Jaesa let out a shaky, muffled laugh. “If you only knew what was going on in my head, what I saw in my dreams tonight...”

“Tell me.” Ava tightened her arms around Jaesa’s waist. She patted the front of the girl’s diaper, and she took a chance, leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek. It got her a jolt from the girl, but she didn’t flee her Master’s strong embrace.

“Tell me,” Ava repeated. “I’m here for you, Jaesa Willsaam. Never doubt it.”

“Okay...” Jaesa sighed and sank into her arms. Her head landed on the pillow, as Ava stroked along her waist and stomach, massaging away every knot of tension. “Well, it started about a few nights ago, right after you got back from Korriban...”


	4. A Second Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava and Vette discuss Jaesa's unmasked anxiety. They arrange one last night out at the Nexus Room.

All was quiet inside the ship’s galley when Ava sat down for caf and breakfast. Twovee had been diligent an hour earlier, around the time that Ava had seen to a shower for her _and_ Jaesa. And after the sudden trickle that had occurred in the shower, she’d ignored all protests and put Jaesa in another diaper as soon as they got dressed.

Mortified, Jaesa had opted to take her breakfast inside her quarters. Ava sat alone at the dining table, chewing on hotcakes doused in syrup imported from Belkadan. She closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples. The flavor was good, but it did little to ease her own spirits.

Moments later, the door slid open, and Vette trotted in. “Morning! Hope the caf’s plenty hot!”

She paused when she saw Ava’s expression.

“Um...” Taking a step back, Vette raised her hands. “I’m guessing that’s a no?”

“Oh, it’s plenty warm.” Ava didn’t bother looking. A clenched fist summoned the caf pot to her grasp, as she poured out a cup for Vette. The Twi’lek accepted it and a crumblebun from the nearby plate in the center of the table.

“Bad night?” Vette asked.

“Yes and no.” Ava speared another slice of hotcake from her plate. “Jaesa told me what’s been on her mind.”

“Great! So what’s it all about?”

The Sith Lord chuckled. “Oh, where to begin...?”

* * *

“I had visions of you standing beside the Emperor.” Jaesa’s voice was soft and a little wet from a fresh bout of crying. She snuggled into Ava’s arms, her diaper rustling against the other woman’s thighs as she shifted in bed. “It was after your grand moment on Korriban. After Baras and that business with the Council. I thought it was only a dream at first, but...”

Ava didn’t interrupt. She’d held the girl and listened.

“A few nights later, I started having these worse dreams. Nightmares, really.” Jaesa swallowed. “I saw you going to Tatooine and to... Alderaan. You were wearing red armor, and you...” She shook her head. “It wasn’t like what happened, my lord. You didn’t spare Master Yonlach. You didn’t spare and help my parents. You... you...”

“Say it.” Ava brushed at Jaesa’s hair with the back of her hand. “Go ahead, Jaesa. Say it.”

The girl let out a shuddering breath. She went rigid in Ava’s embrace.

“You butchered them,” she whispered. “You cut them down, and you didn’t regret it. And then I... I saw you on Hutta, and you _killed_ Master Karr! You broke them, turned him to the dark side, cut him down in front of me, and I...” Tears spilled down Jaesa’s face, landing on her pillow. “I didn’t stop you. I was _happy_ you did it. I hated you, and I wanted your power anyway. I went dark, my lord, and I... I don’t recognize that other person. She’s so evil, so cruel and restless that she hunts down innocents for fun, and she... she kills without question... but I’m not... like that...”

“No, you’re not.” Ava planted her chin on Jaesa’s shoulder. She cupped the front of the young woman’s diaper and slid her other hand to rest on her stomach. “You’re not that twisted creature. You remain a servant of the light, just as I do. That vision can’t come to pass. It never will.”

“But it...” Jaesa gasped for air. “It was so _real..._ ”

“I know, my dear. It was everything I might have done, in following my Master’s orders.” Ava paused, her hand rubbing at the thin tunic over Jaesa’s belly. “I think, if not for Vette and a few others, I might have fallen and become a monster like Baras in truth.”

“But your parents? Didn’t they try to help you—?”

Ava barked out a soft, bitter laugh. “Oh, Jaesa. My mother died when I was young. I hardly ever knew her.”

A pause settled in the room.

“A-and your father?” Jaesa continued.

“Hmm.” In the gloom of her quarters, while clinging to a sad and shy apprentice, Ava found her thoughts drifting back to her youth on Serenno. She saw the forests and mountains, the mighty rivers and cities that fueled more wealth to the glory of the Sith Empire. She saw Human and Sith Pureblood nobles accompanied by entourages of slaves and soldiers through the glittering towers and estates.

She heard the crack of electro-whips, and felt the sting of her father’s fist against her cheek.

“My father,” she told Jaesa, whispering in her ear, “was a slavemaster in every sense of the word. We come from an entire line of slavers who raised brutes for the nobles, and even produced a few Sith Lords in the military. Fenra Corvan trained me to be an elite assassin for the Count of Serenno, so that he could advance himself. When I came of age, the Count asked for a test—and I responded by cutting my father’s throat with a vibroblade.” She grinned in the shadows of her bedroom. “I can still see the look on all their faces when they dragged me away to Korriban.”

“You killed him?” Jaesa sounded hoarse after so much crying. She squirmed in her Master’s arms. “I... I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t shed any tears for him, my dear.” Ava kissed the back of her neck. “Fenra had me hunt down and kill a slave when I was twelve. He beat me when I cried about it. He was a mad tuk’ata who needed to be put down. It was as simple as that.”

But in the Force, she felt new emotions stirring in the quiet room. Waves of agony, terror, and doubt filled Jaesa’s heart, washing over her and Ava without any attempt at shielding them. But Ava let it happen. She let that fear, that disgust and horror, spill over the fragile peace of their bed. And she was grateful, when she heard a faint hiss under the sheets, for the diaper that Jaesa was wearing as well. The garment grew warm against Ava’s hand, and she squeezed it tight.

“You,” she told Jaesa, “haven’t said much about your parents since we joined forces.”

“I...” A hitch caught in the girl’s throat. “I don’t think that’s important right now...”

“Well, I do.” Ava leaned in again, brushing her lips against Jaesa’s ear. “I think you miss them. And if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’ve felt lost, knowing they were so close here on Dromund Kaas, but I haven’t been letting you go and see them.”

Jaesa had no more words. She twisted around, facing Ava at last, and tears spilled down her cheeks without a sound. Ava crushed her into a bear hug, squeezing all the tears out and showering Jaesa’s face with tender kisses. She patted the warm seat of the girl’s diaper and cradled her student against her breast, whispering reassurances the entire time.

In the Force, everything went quiet again. Fear and horror uncoiled into a soft melancholy.

For the time being.

* * *

In the galley, Ava and Vette had proceeded to a second round of caf.

Neither of them spoke for a while.

“Damn,” Vette muttered. Her lekku drooped over her shoulders, the tips almost resting on the tabletop. While Ava had spoken, the Twi’lek’s face had grown progressively darker and sadder. She could have crumpled to the floor if not the chair she’d taken halfway through.

“Do you suppose,” Ava replied, thoughtfully stirring more sugar into her caf, “I might have overstepped my bounds? Perhaps Jaesa wasn’t ready to face everything last night.”

“Um, what?” Vette chuckled. “If she wasn’t ready, why’d she tell you _everything?_ ”

“Because she fears upsetting me. Because she wants to please me.”

“Sure.” Vette shook her head. “Because you’re totally her big scary Sith mommy.”

Ava’s cheeks burned. “I am _not_ her—”

She stopped.

Sitting back in her chair, leaving her caf alone, she heard an echo from the night before. When she and Jaesa were laying together in bed, and the girl was spilling out her heart. After brushing at her hair, Ava had listened to the girl’s nightmares and visions of another time, a different path taken by Baras’s apprentice.

 _You didn’t help and spare my parents,_ she’d said to Ava. _You butchered them._

No wonder the girl felt so alone. No wonder she felt trapped. Every time she saw Ava’s face or heard her voice, how could the girl _not_ help but see that same person slaughtering her family? In an empire full of murderous Sith and their coldhearted sycophants, how could a follower of the light truly keep their balance?

Ava pictured Jaesa, sitting alone in her quarters, taking breakfast herself. No doubt she had chafed at the diaper she had to wear under her robes, as if her morning couldn’t get worse.

“No,” she told Vette. “No, I’m not the girl’s mother. But I can do her one better.”

“Uh oh.” The Twi’lek grinned. “Are we gonna have to break out the adoption papers?”

“Not exactly. But she needs a break. That much is clear.” Ava’s tattooed face twisted into a smile that she hoped came off as pleasant. “And I think I know where to start...”

* * *

On the airtaxi ride to Kaas City, Ava’s holocomm went off. She braced herself in the seat between Vette and Jaesa, holding herself steady while she fumbled the comm out. Triggering it, she got a burst of static, followed by the thin blue ghost of Malavai Quinn floating over her hand.

“ _My lord,_ ” said the captain, bowing his head. “ _Our assignment is complete. All rogue elements in the Yavin system have been accounted for._ ”

“My, that was quick. No unfortunate surprises?”

“ _Only one, my lord._ ” Even light-years away, Quinn’s face registered total disgust. “ _We had a brief ‘quarrel’ with Broonmark about his right to hunt prey on one of the jungle moons. We have since resolved our differences._ ” He winced and rubbed at his shoulder. “ _Or, I should say, we will once the bruises have cleared up._ ”

“Excellent, Quinn.” Ava shot a teasing glance Vette’s way. “I look forward to your return.”

“ _My lord._ ” With another bow, the captain hid his face, and the hologram fizzled away.

“Does he ever take a break?” Jaesa wondered aloud.

“Not that _I’ve_ ever seen.” Vette leaned around Ava and grinned. “That’s why he needs me for a little morale boost.”

Ava chuckled. “You do have a habit for getting under his skin. If not for your skills, I suspect he’d have you thrown off the ship.”

“Ha! Let him try!”

They were in good spirits by the time the airtaxi landed in Kaas City Central. Overhead, the sky was a dense gray, riddled with the usual peals of thunder and lightning. Every so often, Ava would turn her head and catch sight of a lightning bolt striking one of the grounded metal poles at the top of a skyscraper. The whole city would light up around the flash, and if she lingered on that reaction long enough, she could almost feel an echo within the past coming through the Force itself. A hint of the dark side’s power, unleashed by the Emperor centuries ago in one of his earliest rituals on Dromund Kaas.

Ava prayed he was truly gone. After all, she and Jaesa had an empire to reform.

As they rode the turbolift up to the second floor of the Nexus Room, Jaesa leaned into Ava’s shoulder. She looked tired, but after a shower and a third diaper change back on the ship, her hair and face shone more than ever. Ava made sure Vette wasn’t looking before sneaking her hand down Jaesa’s back and giving her padded bottom a little squeeze. The gesture made Jaesa’s eyes widen, and she blushed before turning away from Ava, who drew the young woman closer.

“My dear,” she whispered, “no need to fret. You’re going to love what we have in store tonight.”

As the turbolift doors parted, they proceeded straight down the corridor to one of the VIP rooms. Its entrance was marked off with the presence of two gleaming silver security droids, whose hot red photoreceptors stared ahead. They snapped to a hasty salute as Ava approached, her face not hidden from view this time.

When the guest space door opened, Jaesa’s breath caught.

Gregor and Parvin Willsaam stared back.

They sat at a table in the middle of an opulent room, festooned with all the Alderaanian décor that Ava could commission on short notice. Protocol droids came and served the old couple all the drinks and hors d’oeuvres they could want they could. Even their clothing was different from the last time Ava had laid eyes on them. As they rose shakily to their feet, Gregor and Parvin did not wear the livery of House Organa servants, but silk robes and tunics imported from Caamas. They gleamed like pearls in the shadows of the nightclub’s VIP area, and Ava gave Jaesa a nudge forward.

“Jaesa...” Parvin whispered, her voice as wet and full as her eyes had become. “Oh, it’s you...”

“Mother!” Jaesa ran forward, all decorum and poise forgotten. She clutched her mother’s arms, and they fell weeping together. Gregor swept them both into his grasp right away, lowering his head to his daughter’s cheek.

Vette clasped her hands together. “You’re right. This was worth the wait.”

“My lord!” Gregor lifted his head. “I... _we_ can’t thank you enough. Bringing our daughter back, and I know you’re busy in your, ah, new role, but this is more than we expected.”

“Remember what I said on Alderaan,” Ava replied. She crossed her arms and smirked. “I’d have you and your wife live like kings on Dromund Kaas. And there’s no greater treasure than to see your own flesh-and-blood.”

“My lord, th-thank you!” Parvin could hardly bring herself to stop crying, or to let go of the death grip she had on Jaesa.

Ava pressed her hands together and bowed. “Vette and I will be downstairs enjoying ourselves. Jaesa? Spend as much time as you’d like. Everything in the club tonight is on _my_ tab.”

Jaesa couldn’t bring herself to speak. But, with tears in her eyes, the smile she gave was dazzling.

Ava held onto that memory of a smile while she and Vette made their quiet exit. Walking back to the turbolift, the Twi’lek laughed and shook her head.

“I cannot,” she said softly, “believe _you_ managed a happy family reunion. On Dromund Kaas.”

“Well, I thought we might as well make _one_ happen in our lifetimes.” Ava shrugged. “Besides, I had to ensure that the Willsaams wouldn’t starve after Baras’s power base collapsed overnight.”

“Such a charitable Sith.”

“Something like that.” Ava smirked at Vette. “Remember when I said you _weren’t_ my slave?”

“Yeah, and believe me, I’m forever grateful about that.” Rubbing at her neck, where a shock collar had once rested, Vette sighed. “Out of slavery and into a weird family unit.”

The turbolift doors slid shut, allowing Ava a moment’s pause. “Well, look at it this way. You got an older sister _and_ a younger sister in the bargain—not to mention cleared all of Tivva’s debts.”

Vette nodded. “Okay, you got me there.” Her grin fell away, turning into a scowl. “But so help me, I am _not_ calling you Mama or letting _you_ put a diaper on me. You got that?”

Ava laughed and hugged the shorter woman. “Loud and clear, Vette! Loud and clear...”

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I know, it's another ABDL-type story in Star Wars. But it also means plenty of scenes of Warrior cuddling Vette and Jaesa, which is what matters most, right?


End file.
